What does Isaiah 24:1 mean?
Chapters 13–23 of Isaiah contained a series of prophecies about the Lord's judgment against various nations. Those judgments were mostly brought about through the Assyrian war machine. They conquered one nation after another, especially those who dared to rebel against them.Now Isaiah prophecies about a judgment that will impact the entire world at once. Scholars have sometimes referred to chapters 24—27 as the "Apocalypse of Isaiah." The section certainly seems to be set in the end times. In this passage, the Lord judges the world before bringing all the nations under the rule of the Messiah from His throne in Jerusalem.
The chapter begins by declaring that the Lord will one day "empty the earth," or lay it to waste, and make it a wasteland. God will destroy the face of the earth and scatter the people who remain. The root word for "scatter" in Hebrew is puwts. This is the same word used for the dispersal of the earth's population from the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9). The suggestion here is of mass migrations as people flee from disaster.
Isaiah 24:1–13 describes the Lord's judgment of all humanity during the end times. This destruction comes in response to human sinfulness. God will bring a calamity on earth that will tear the people from their homes. All will suffer equally. Everything will wither, and the few survivors will be scorched. Music, wine, and joy will end: what's left of civilization will be like the olives missed by workers at harvest.
Isaiah describes terrible judgment the Lord will bring on the earth during the final days. The Lord will twist the surface of the earth, scattering the people. All will suffer equally regardless of status, and the earth will be fully emptied. Everything will wither and languish. The Lord will do this because of human sinfulness against Him. Few will survive, and there will be no wine, music, or gladness. The only exception to this will be the singing of those who praise the Lord. Massive earthquakes will destroy the earth, and the Lord will lock up all who stood against Him before beginning His reign as king.
